Hinge structure



July 6, 1954 J. SUNKO 2,682,969

HINGE STRUCTURE Filed June 8, 1953 INVENTOR. /1/ Sun Patented July 6,1954 HINGE STRUCTURE J'oh-n Sunko, Elgin, Ill., assignor to Motorola,Inc, Chicago, 111., a corporation. of Illinois Application June s, 1953,Serial No. 350,232-

(Cl. 22o-31 3 Claims.

The present invention relates to hinged receptacles and moreparticularly to an improved hinged cabinet for a portable radio or thelike.

In plastic containers, such as the cabinets of portable radios, jewelboxes, vanity cases or the like, it is often desirable to provide aninexpensive hinge arrangement for connecting the cover to the body ofthe receptacle. It is desirable that such arrangements be suflicientl yrugged for practical commercial use, and yet be secured to the containerby some means other than screws or the like for economy reasons. Whilehinged receptacles incorporating these features are known to the art,they have been heretofore still relatively expensive to manufacture sothat the cost of the articles with which they are used is stillcomparatively high. Moreover, because usually receptacles of the typementioned above are composed of a somewhat brittle plastic material, itis important that the hinging arrangement be such that the hinge itselfprovide some resilience topreclude cracking or breaking of the containerwhen closed with undue force.

It is, accordingly, an object of the present invention to provide ahinged structure of the type described above which does not requirescrews or the like, and which provides an efficient and practicalcommercial unit.

A further object of the invention is to provide such a hinged structurewhich maybe easily assembled and which doesnot require screws, fusing orany other extraneousinstrumental ities and operations for securing. thehinge portion of the structure to the receptacle.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide such a hingedstructure that may be constructed expeditiously and economically.

A- still further object of the invention is to provide a hingedreceptacle which is so constructed that the hinge portion resilientlyabsorbs excess strains during closure of the receptacle to-protect thecontainer itself from damage.

A feature of the invention is the provision of a hinged structure whichincludes two casing sections and a hinge comprising a wire bent into aunique U-shaped configuration to be removably supported in one sectionand to rotatably support the other section.

Another feature of" the invention is the provision of a hingedreceptacle having a hinge portion supported in a recess in one casingsection and received in a channel formed by an overhanging lip inanother casing: section, and in which the hinge portion has loops formedtherein which engage the overhanging lip to minin the recess.

tain the hinge in the channel and yet allow rotation of the secondmentioned casing section and resiliently absorb the force of suchrotation when the receptacle is closed.

The above and other features of the invention which are believed to benew are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. Theinvention itself, however, together with further objects and advantagesthereof, may best be understood by reference to the followingdescription when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing inwhich:

Figure '1 is an exploded view of the hinged structure of the invention;

Figure 2 is a representation, partly in section, of the invention;

Figure 3 is a sectional view of the structure taken along the lines 3-3of Figure 2; and

Figure 4 is a rear view of the structure.

The hinged structure of the invention comprises a first casing sectionhaving a recess formed therein adjacent one edge thereof, the recesshaving a pair of spaced parallel grooved sides extend-inginwardly fromthe aforesaid edge and each terminating a selected distance from theedge in an enlarged shoulder-receiving portion.

A hinge is provided which comprises a resilient wire having a generallyU-shaped configuration to constitute a pair of spaced parallel legsinterconnected by a cross-bar, with the extremity of each of such legshaving an outwardly extending shoulder configuration. The contiguousportion of the cross-bar with each of the legs has a looped-overconfiguration extending upwardly out of the plane of the legs andcross-bar and outwardly over the cross-bar. The hinge is supportedwithin the aforementioned recess with the legs disposed in the groovedsides thereof and with the extremities of the legs supported in theaforementioned shoulder-receiving portions, thereby to prevent movementof the hinge with- The hinged structure has a secand easing sectionhaving an edge contiguous to the aforesaid edge of the first casingsection with an overhanging lip portion adjacent the recess. The lipportion has a generally rounded outer surface and has an inner surfacedefining a channel parallel to the edge of the second casing section.This channel receives the aforementioned cross-bar of the hinge with thelooped portions thereof engaging the outer surface of the lip portion tomaintain the cross-bar within the channel and to allow rotation of thesecond casing section about the cross-bar.

With reference now' to the drawing, the hinged structure of theinvention includes a first casing section If]. Section 10 has a topportion II and sides I2 extending perpendicularly thereto. One of thesides l2 has a notch l3 in one edge thereof, and also has a recess Hiformed therein adjacent the notch. Recess M has a pair of spacedparallel grooved sides l5, [6 extending inwardly from notch 13, andterminating respectively a selected distance from the notch in a pair ofenlarged shoulder-receiving portions I1, I8. The recess also has a back35, and the shoulder receiving portions I? and 18 extend through theback, as shown in Figure 4, to facilitate molding of the structure.

The assembly also includes a hinge l9 comprising a resilient metallicwire having a generally U-shaped configuration to constitute a pair ofspaced parallel legs 28, 2| interconnected by a cross-bar 22. Theextremity of each of the legs 2G, 2! has an outwardly extending shoulderconfiguration 23, 2 3 within the plane of the legs and cross-bar. Thecontiguous portion between the cross-bar 22 and the respective legs 20,2! has a looped-over configuration 25, 26 extending upwardly out of theplane of the legs and cross-bar and outwardly over the cross-bar.

Hinge i9 is supported within recess l4 with legs 29, El disposed in thegroove sides 15, Hi and with the extremities 23, 24 of the legssupported in the shoulder-receiving portions l7, Hi. In this manner,movement of the hinge i9 within the recess in all directions isprevented.

A second casing section 21 is also provided and has a top 28 and sides29 extending perpendicularly thereto, one of the sides 29 having an edge3!) contiguous to the edge of section l0 in which notch i3 is formed andfrom which crevice M extends. Edge 39 has an overhanging lip portion 3!extending into notch 3. The lip portion has a generally rounded outersurface and has an inner surface defining a channel 32 parallel to edge38. Channel 32 receives cross-bar 22 of hinge l9 with looped portions25, 26 engaging the outer surface of the lip portion 3| to maintain thecross-bar within channel 32 and to allow rotation of the second casingsection about the cross-bar.

A portion only of the hinged structure H] is shown in the drawing, withhinge 19 mounted at one end thereof. hinge may be supported at the otherend of the structure in the same manner.

It is evident that the hinged structure of the invention may beassembled in a simple and expeditious manner. merely necessary to insertcross-bar 22 in channel 32 by turning the hinge IS in a direction awayfrom the interior of section 21 until the looped portions 25, 25 allowthe cross-bar to be inserted in the channel. With the cross-bar soinserted, the hinge i9 is turned in a clockwise direction to trap thecross-bar within the channel, and legs 2'3, 2! are then squeezedtogether and inserted into the grooved sides l5 and I6 of recess l6until their shoulders 23, 24 snap into enmanner, since the hinge acts asan absorber. the

It is evident that a similar For such assembly, it is danger of crackingor breaking the structure when the cover is closed with undue force isgreatly reduced.

The invention provides, therefore, a hinged structure that may bemanufactured and assembled cheaply and expeditiously and yet which isideally suited for commercial applications.

While a particular embodiment of the invention has been shown anddescribed, modifications may be made and it is intended in the appendedclaims to cover all such modifications as fall within the true spiritand scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. A hinged structure including in combination, a first casing sectionhaving a recess formed therein adjacent one edge thereof, said recesshaving a pair of spaced parallel grooved sides extending inwardly fromthe aforesaid edge and each terminating a selected distance from saidedge in an enlarged shoulder-receiving portion; hinge means comprising aresilient wire having a generally U-shaped configuration to constitute apair of spaced parallel legs interconnected by a cross-bar, with theextremity of each such legs having an outwardly extending shoulderconfiguration, and with the contiguous portion of said cross-bar witheach of said legs having a looped configuration extending upwardly outof the plane of said legs and cross-bar and outwardly over saidcross-oar, said hinge being supported within the aforesaid recess withsaid legs disposed in the grooved sides thereof and with the extremitiesof said legs supported in the aforesaid shoulder-receiving portions,thereby to prevent movement of said hinge within said recess; and asecond casing section having an edge contiguous to the aforesaid edge ofsaid first casing section with an overhanging lip portion adjacent saidrecess, said lip portion having a generally rounded outer surface andhaving an inner surface defining a channel parallel to said edge of saidsecond casing section, said channel receiving the aforesaid cross-bar ofsaid hinge with the aforesaid looped portions thereof engaging the outersurface of said lip portion to maintain said cross-bar within saidchannel and to allow rotation of said second casing section about saidcross-bar.

2. A hinged structure including in combination, a first casing sectionhaving a notch in one edge thereof and also having a recess formedtherein adjacent said notch, said recess having a pair of spacedparallel grooved sides extending inwardly from the aforesaid notch andeach terminating a selected distance from said notch in an enlargedshoulder-receiving portion; a hinge comprising a resilient metallic wirehaving a generally U-shaped configuration to constitute a pair of spacedparallel legs interconnected by a crossbar, with the extremity of eachsuch legs having an outwardly extending shoulder configuration withinthe plane of said legs and cross-bar, and with the contiguous portion ofsaid cross-bar with each of said legs having a looped-over configurationextending upwardly out of the plane of said legs and cross-bar andoutwardly over said crossbar, said hinge being supported within theaforesaid recess with said legs disposed in the grooved sides thereofand with the extremities of said legs supported in the aforesaidshoulder-receiving portions, thereby to prevent movement of said hingewithin said recess; and a second casing section having an edgecontiguous to the aforesaid edge of said first casing section with anoverhanging lip portion extending into the aforesaid notch, said lipportion having a generally rounded outer surface and having an innersurface defining a channel parallel to said edge of said second casingsection, said channel receiving the aforesaid cross-bar of said hingewith the aforesaid looped portions thereof engaging the outer surface ofsaid lip portion to maintain said cross-bar within said channel and toallow rotation of said second casing section about said cross-bar.

3. A hinged structure including in combination, a first casing sectionhaving a recess formed therein adjacent one edge thereof, said recesshaving a back section and a pair of spaced parallel grooved sidesextending inwardly from the aforesaid edge and each terminating aselected distance from said edge in an enlarged shoulder-receivingportion extending through said back section; hinge-means comprising aresilient Wire having a generally U-shaped configuration to constitute apair of spaced parallel legs interconnected by a cross-bar, with theextremity of each such legs having an outwardly extending shoulderconfiguration, and with the contiguous portion of and a second casingsection having an edge contiguous to the aforesaid edge of said firstcasing section with an overhanging lip portion adjacent said recess,said lip portion having a generally rounded outer surface and having aninner surface defining a channel parallel to said edge of said secondcasing section, said channel receiving the aforesaid cross-bar of saidhinge with the aforesaid looped portions thereof engaging the outersurface of said lip portion to maintain said cross-bar within saidchannel and to allow rotation of said second casing section about saidcross-bar.

No references cited.

